Contact Info

Criminal Court

Share this page:

Initial appearances before the court on violations of city criminal ordinances and any traffic violations of five points or greater are held each Monday-Thursday at 1:30 PM in Courtroom Division 2 (Room 210). Any violation that is not a minor (4 pts or less) traffic violation is considered to be a criminal violation of the city code.

Court Summons

Police officers schedule a court date each time they write a criminal summons. This date is written in the middle of the handwritten summons or the e-citation summons form. If you cannot appear in court on the date indicated, you should come to the Violations Bureau in Room 108 of the courthouse to obtain a new appearance date as soon as you can. You must appear prior to the court date on your summons to re-schedule. Scheduling cannot be done over the phone because there is paperwork that must be completed. When conducting court business, a parent must appear with any juvenile who has received a summons.

In the middle of the summons is the section code under which you have been charged. If you wish to read about that law, you may review the Colorado Springs City Code by entering the section number as it is written on your summons (i.e. 9.2.101).

Sentencing

The maximum sentence this court can impose on each charge is a $2,500 fine and/or 189 days in jail, not including probation and court costs. If you are under 18 years of age at the time of the alleged offense, the maximum sentence you can receive is a fine not to exceed $500 and probation. There are some offenses where the maximum sentence is a fine not to exceed $500 and probation (you can view a list of these offenses in ordinance 11.4.104). Prior to sentencing, a judge may refer you to the Probation Department for a pre-sentence investigation (PSI).

Individual Rights

At the beginning of each court session, the courtroom clerk will play an orientation video for the Criminal Arraignment and inform you of your rights.

Hiring an Attorney

If you cannot afford to hire an attorney, one may be appointed to represent you if receiving a jail sentence is a possible penalty. After you see the judge and he/she grants an investigation to determine if you qualify for an attorney, you will need to fill out a Financial Affidavit and bring it to Room 230 of the Probation Department. Note: You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this document. If you are not hiring an attorney.

Trials

You may enter a plea of not guilty and ask for a trial even if you think you have committed the offense charged.

Witnesses

Each person charged in the Municipal Court has the right to have witnesses ordered to attend a court to testify at trial (subpoenaed) on their behalf at no cost. Please provide the court with the name, address, and phone number of each witness at least five weeks prior to the trial date.

Obtain Subpoena Request forms for individuals or documents and evidence at the Violations Bureau in Room 108 of the courthouse. Correct names and addresses will help the Marshals successfully serve the subpoenas in sufficient time, but the court cannot guarantee paper service by the Marshals. Private process service companies may also serve subpoenas. If a witness is not placed under subpoena and does not appear in court on the date of trial, a judge is not likely to grant a continuance for that person to be properly subpoenaed.

If you wish to request the issuance of subpoenas for your trial, you may complete the online Subpoena Request or complete the information and bring the form to Room 108 of the Municipal Court Building. You may also mail it to 224 East Kiowa, Colorado Springs, CO 90903 or fax it to (719) 385-6190. Please understand that fax or mail times could cause further delay of service.

Pre-Trial Settlement Conferences

Cases in which you enter a "not guilty" plea will be set to a later date for pre-trial. The extra time allows the city attorney to gather information needed to discuss the case in an attempt to reach a mutually satisfactory arrangement.

If an agreeable arrangement is not reached (you are free to reject any offer the city attorney makes to resolve the case), the case will be set for trial. Witnesses may be subpoenaed to appear on the scheduled trial date.

Juvenile Expungement/Sealing of Records

To expunge is to intentionally destroy information and records in files, computers, and other depositories. State law may allow the Municipal Court records of a juvenile offender to be expunged when he or she reaches the age of 18. State law also allows for the sealing of an adult's Municipal Court criminal record. Certain timelines for both the expungement and sealing process apply. You may obtain a "Petition for Expungement" from the 4th Judicial District Court: